Self-oiling hub



F. CRAWFORD.

SELF OlllNG HUB.

APPLICATION men saw. I3. ma.

Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

INVEN TOR.

WI TNESS A TTORNEY.

FRANK CRAWFORD, 0}? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SELF-OILING HUB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

Application filed. September 13, 1918. Serial No. 254,026.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK CRAWFORD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia. have invented new and useful Improvements in Self-oilingHubs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a self oiling pulley hub and the primaryobject thereof is to provide a hub for idler pulleys, wheels and thelike adaptedto receive a fluid lubricant and so constructed that as itrevolves the lubricant will be fed to the hub bearing surface.

Another object is to provide a means in hubs oi the above characterwhereby the wear of the hub bearing may be taken up from time to timeand the wearing surfaces readily renewed as occasion may require.

A further object is to provide a hub bearing eml'iodying a. pair ofopposed truncated cone bearing members mounted for adjustment andadapted to 'be automatically lubricated by a. fluid lubricant carried bythe hub.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a view of the hub in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section and elevation as seen on the line22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section and elevation as seen on theline 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail illustrating the manner of adjusting the truncatedcone bearings whereby wear may be taken up.

More specifically 5 indicates a shaft or similar member on which thepulley hub 6 is to be revolubly mounted, this shaft being formed with akey-Way 7 and fitted with a collar 8 of peculiar design which is securedon the shaft against movement thereon by a set-screw 9 extending intothe key-way. The collar S-has a cylindrical outer wall and is formedwith an annular peripheral flange 10 intermediate its ends formed withchannels 11 on its opposite sides to receive absorptive rings 12 andhaving outwardly divergent walls 13 on its opposite edges forming atrough on the outer face of the flange and also forming outwardlytapered faces on their undersides constituting female bearing membersadapted to slidably receive truncated cone male bearing members 1*carried by the hub 6.

The hub is formed of a pair of disks 15 and 16 having inturned annularflanges adapted to be detachably connected together by bolts 17 toposition the disks on opposite sides of the female bearing members, thedisks being formed with central openings to admit their being slippedover the collar. The truncated cone bearings are adjustably mounted onthe inner faces of the disks by means of screws 18 slidable in the disksand screwed into the bearings, set-screws 19 are screw-threaded into thedisks 15 and 16 and take'seat against the bearing members 14 andcoiiperate with the screws 18 to hold the hearings in the desiredposition. To adjust the bearings either the screws or set-screws areloosened or both, and the bearings advanced by the set-screws orretracted by the screws. By this construction a very fine adjustment canbe obtained so that the cone bearings can be seated with the propercontact on their companion bearings, wear being taken up by adjustingthe cone bearings from the exterior of the hub as occasion may reqinre.

The space within the hub is designed to receive a liquid lubricant whichis delivered thereto through an inlet, normally closed by a plug 20,only such quantity of lubricant being placed in the hub as will form ashallow body over the inner periphery of the hub when the latter israpidly revolved and the lubricant distributed under the action ofcentrifugal force. A pair of bands of felt or similar absorptivematerial 21 are placed in the hub at the intersection of the inner facesof the disks and their inturned'flanges, which bands are spaced apart toform a channel therebctween, the bands serving the purpose of collectingforeign substances which might be in the lubricant.

As a means for deliveringthe lubricant to the cone bearings a blade 22is mounted on the flange 10 and projects transversely of the hub adacent to Its inner periphery at the upper portion thereof.

The flanges 13 have openings 23 therethrough arranged at the base of theblade in such manner that lubricant collected by the blade and drainingtherefrom may be delivered to the faces of the cone bearings throughsaid openings, excess lubricant draining from the flanges into the lowerportion of the hub to be redistributed.

Any sort of rim 24 may be mounted on the hub. according to the characterof the pulley or wheel with which the hub is to be employed, the rimbeing here shown as attached to the hub by the bolts 17.

In the operation of the invention, a fluid lubricant within the hub willbe distributed over the inner periphery of the latter on rotationthereof, by the action of centrifugal force. Portions of the lubricantwill be gathered by the upwardly projecting blade and directeddownwardly thereby toward the bearing centrally of the hub and portionsof the lubricant thus collected will be fed to the wearing surfaces ofthe cones exposed through the openings 23 in the female bearing members.

\Vhen it is desired to take up wear of the bearings, the truncated conesare slightly advanced into proper contact with their companion bearingmembers as before de scribed.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it is manifest that various changes may be made in thedetails of the several parts without departing from the spirit of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim;

1. In a self oiling hub, a shaft, a hollow hub thereon. a pair ofopposed female bearin members fixed on said shaft within the hue, and apair of opposed truncated cone bearings on said hub extending into saidfemale bearing members.

2. In a self oiling hub, a shaft, a hollow hub thereon, a pair ofopposed femalebearing members fixed on sald shaft within the hub, a pairof truncated cone bearmgs on said hub extending into said female bearingmembers, and means for adjusting said cone bearings relative to saidfemale bearmg members whereby proper contact may be attained.

3. In a self oiling hub, a shaft, a hollow hub thereon, a pair ofopposed female bearin members fixed onsaid shaft within the hu a pair ofopposed truncated cone bearings on said hub extending into said femalebearing members, and means for delivering a fluid lubricant contained inthe hub from the inner periphery thereof to the bearing members.

4. In a self oiling hub, a shaft, a hollow hub tl'lereon, a pair offemale bearing members fixed on said shaft, said members comprisingopposed outwardly tapered flanges, a pair of opposed truncated conebearingmembers extending into said female bearing men' bers, and meansfor delivering fluid lubricant contained in the hub from the innerperiphery thereof to the wearing faces of the bearing members throughsaid tapered flanges.

5. In a self oiling hub, a shaft, a hollow hub thereon, a pair ofopposed female hearing members fixed on the shaft, a pair of opposedtrum-atcd cone bearing members carried by the hub and extending intosaid female bearing members. said hub adapted to receive a fluidlubricant which will be distributed over the inner periphery of the hubon rotation thereof by centrifugal force. a blade fixed relative to thefemale bearing members adapted to intercept ])(H'fi(1l\;-' (if thelubricant carried by the inner pcripherv of the hub, and openings insaid female bead ing members whereby ortions of the lubricant thusgathered wi 1 be delivered to the wearing faces of the bearings.

(3. In a self oiling hub, a shaft, a collar fixed thereon having acentral annular flange, outwardly divergent bearing walls prO- ectingfrom the opposite sides of said fl ange having openings in their upperportlons, a pair of disks encircling said collar on opposite sides ofthe flange having inturned outer edges connected together forming alubricant receiving chamber, a pair of absorptive rings on the innerfaces of said disks spaced apart to form an annular channel on the innerperiphery of the inturned edges, 21 pair of opposed truncated conebearings adjnstably extendin into the divergent bearing walls intoslidab e engage ment therewith, portions of the surface of each of saidcone bearings bein exposed through the openings in said wfils, and ablade extending upwardly from the annular flange between said openingsand having its upper edge extending into the channel to intercept aportion of such lubricant as may be caused to cover the bottom of thechannel and direct a part thereof to the bearings through said openings.

FRANK CRAWFORD.

00pm: of this patent may be obtained for the cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Batents, Washington, D. G."

